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Simon Liu

“What I love the most about Fuqua are the exciting activities happening in the building. Fuqua Friday, Fuqua’s Got Talent, or cultural events such as the Thai Full Moon Festival and Diwali Festival are all happening under one roof.”

MQM: Business Analytics

Class of 2018

My Program Track:

Strategy

Industry:

Finance

Prior Education:

University of Southern California Accounting / Business Administration, 2017

Hometown:

Shenzhen, China

Nationality:

China

Why I Chose Fuqua

Being a strong believer in big data and business intelligence, I was looking for a program that could combine my passion for finance with more technical training in the field. While visiting Fuqua, I got to meet many outstanding people both in academics and extracurricular activities. The opportunity to learn from MBAs who share the same building with us draws me to the program even more. Being in the MQM program, I get to not only explore my interests in finance and analytics but also get involved in many professional learning opportunities offered by the clubs and events like the Distinguished Speaker Series.

During Fuqua

I am a cabinet member of the Asian Business Club, planning a series of panels bringing in business leaders to discuss international business trends. I also co-organized a mooncake tasting for the Mid-Autumn Festival, sharing the culture of “Chinese Thanksgiving” with the Fuqua community.

After Fuqua

Upon graduation, I hope to become a sales and trading or investment analyst, exploring trade ideas and dancing with market dynamics, and eventually get to a senior management position in a firm.

My MQM Track

Strategy is a very flexible track since it provides educational training that allows students to go into many different areas. I love strategy because being able to think holistically will help me understand global financial markets and to come up with better investment strategies. I like the Empirical Economic Analysis and Strategic Management courses because they provide me with the fundamentals of thinking from a bird’s eye view. Also, the flexibility of the MQM program allows me to take electives in finance where I am now learning portfolio management and fixed-income trading.

5 Best Fuqua Activities

1. Fuqua Fridays are a must-go. Every Friday, students, alumni, and families all get together at Fox Center for dinner and drinks to start off the weekends.

2. Campout is the biggest event at Duke. It is not just getting tickets for Duke basketball but also watching performances of your classmates and friends. If you want to get an RV for Campout, do it before school starts in July.

3. Rise Against Hunger is an annual service event where the Fuqua community gets together to pack 50,000 meals to send to food insecure areas across the globe. It’s a very meaningful moment to work with your classmates and make a difference.

4. Playing ping pong at the Fox Center is the best. Relax your legs and arms during class breaks.

5. Triangle Training is a team-bonding event at the beginning of the school year. There are many outdoor activities and I am sure you will love it!